Panaji, Oct 2 (IANS): The practice of bursting fire crackers during Gandhi Jayanti celebrations will be discontinued by the state government, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Wednesday.

Gandhi was a true environmentalist and bursting fire crackers is not in sync with good environment practices, the Chief Minister said.

"From next year, it is necessary to stop bursting crackers. Gandhi was a true environmentalist. Government servants should take note of it," Sawant said at a function held in Old Goa, near Panaji to mark the 150th birth anniversary of the 'Father of the Nation'.

Sawant also said, that the ban on single-use plastic in Goa had come into effect on Wednesday, in furtherance with Gandhi's belief in environment conservation.

Earlier on Wednesday, both the Congress as well as the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) carried out two separate marches in honour of the late freedom fighter.

While the BJP conducted the Gandhi Sankalp Yatra through Panaji, Congress leaders led a 'padyatra' at Old Goa.

"Let us all follow the ideology of Mahatma of truth and non violence. Let us all remember Bapu's teachings of unity and simplicity," Leader of Opposition Digambar Kamat said, while speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the padyatra.